Atardeceres d'iviernu

Photo Pentti Hannuksela
Winter sunsets in Helsinki are beautiful
Estos atardeceres compensen (un poquitín) lo corto de los díes

Sweet monsters

Lordi keeps going. Last week they performed at Conan O'Brien's late night. What memories!
Lordi sigue dando guerra. La selmana pasada actuaron nel programa de Conan O'Brien. Qué recuerdos!

Myrskytuuli

A strong wind storm hit Helsinki last night, fallen trees, church crosses flying around ...
Ayer en Helsinki una tormentona de vientu arrancó árboles, llevose les cruces les iglesies, andamios...

Cloudy

Photo Olli
These clouds are at the moment over our neighbourhood (Herttoniemi)
Estes ñubes tenemos agora enrriba'l nuestru barriu (Herttoniemi)

Miina Äkkijyrkkä

Photos Juha Metso
Miina Äkkijyrkkä is a Finnish sculptor sorrounded by controversy. Her main source of inspiration is cattle and she's commited with the protection of Finnish breeds. Recently the city of Helsinki has cancelled her rental contract and is forcing her to leave her farm. The oficial motive are accusations of not taking proper care of the cattle. However, many people see this as a way to get rid off a person with an unusual way of living that doesn't conform to the standards of city development (i.e. favouring golf courts and speculative housing). Äkkijyrkkä's work (cows made out car parts) can be seen in many places around the city and she's also made some prints for Marimekko. If she leaves, Helsinki is going to loose an inspirational character with the courage to show that other life styles are possible in our globalised cities. Don't miss her website and enjoy her work
Miina Äkkijyrkkä ye una escultora Finesa arrodiada pola controversia estos díes. La so fonte d'inspiración son les vaques y ye mui activa na conservación de les races autóctones Fineses. Hai poco l'ayuntamientu de Helsinki canceló'l so contratu d'alquiler por nun tener el ganao en condiciones adecuaes. Muncha xente piensa que namás ye una escusa pa quitase de delantre un personaxe orixinal y polémicu que nun casa bien coles llínies de desarrollo urbanístico na ciudá (campos de golf y apartamentos). Les obres d'Äkkijyrkkä (vaques xigantes feches de partes de coches vieyos) pueden vese pela ciudá y también fae estampaos pa Marimekko. En cualquier casu, si marcha, Helsinki va perder una parte importante de la so personalidá que la facía un sitiu más orixinal, un exemplu de qu'otros estilos de vida son posibles n'estes ciudaes tan globalizaes. Nun vos perder la so páxina web pa disfrutar del su trabayu

Marraskuu

November, dark and short days where this is the most colorful thing I get to see (photo from Kikeb)
Noviembre, díes cortos y escuros onde esto ye lo más colorío que soi a ver (foto de Kikeb)

Kylmää vastaan...

Against this cold weekend...
Escontra esti fin de selmana tan frio...

A vueltes coles ventanes

As you see the leaves left already, no more nice colours like in here
Les fueyes marcharon yá, hai nada disfrutábemos d'esti otru panorama

Hugo Simberg

Other of my favourite Finnish painters (see also) is Hugo Simberg. The Wikipedia entry defines very well his style: "Simberg's works mostly focus on the macabre and the supernatural, possessing a haunting, gloomy beauty". A comprehensive site with his works here
Otru los mios favoritos pintores Fineses (ver también) ye Hugo Simberg. La entrada en Wikipedia define bien el so trabayu: "centráu mayormente no macabro y sobrenatural pero con una belleza qu'abluca". Podeis vere muncho de la so obra equí

Asia, respect for food

I was watching the episode of No Reservations about Hong Kong and got very impressed with the spectacular array of delicious food and tradition. This led me to remember one of my favourite films: Tampopo and the noodles' soup scene (above). It also came to my mind the opening scene of Eat Drink Man Woman (below). This love for food and cooking really moves me
La pasada nueche taba viendo l'episodiu de No Reservations sobre Hong Kong y quedé plasmáu cola variedá y tradición de la comida que presentaron. Eso llevome a recordar una de les mis películes favorites: Tampopo y la parte na qu'el maestru los fideos enseña a comer la sopa al chaval (enrriba). También acordeme de la secuencia del principiu de Comer, vivir, amar (embaxo). Esti respeto pola cocina emocioname mucho

DocPoint

For once, I write about one happening with time in advance to be prepared. The Helsinki documentary festival will take place 23.-27.1.08. As usual, suggestions are welcomed :)
Sin que sirva de precedente, escribo d'una actividá con tiempu pa tar preparaos. El festival de documentales de Helsinki celébrase del 23- al 27.1.08. Como ye vezu, suxerencies son bien recibíes :)

Municipal elections 2008

The municipal elections took place in a day perfectly described by Hanna V. in the above picture. Extremely rainy and windy day which saw the consolidation of the conservative parties (National Coalition "Kokoomus" and the Centre "Keskusta") and the worrying growth (as a foreigner living in Finland) of the "True" Finns party (populist and anti-immigrants). Socialdemocrats (SDP) and leftist coalition (Vasemmistoliitto) keep going down, and the greens grew a bit. You can read more in here. In Helsinki the National Coalition won again (26 council members), the Greens are the second party (21 c.m.) and Socialdemocrats the third (16 c.m.)
Nun día de mucha lluvia y viento, perfectamente ilustráu por Hanna V. nel dibuxu enrriba, celebráronse les elecciones municipales. Los partíos conservadores "Coalición Nacional" (Kokoomus) y "El Centru" (Keskusta) consolídense como los más votaos mientres los Socialdemócrates (SDP) y Izquierda Xunida (Vasemmistoliitto) siguen la tendencia a la baxa. Preocupante (como foriatu viviendo equí) ye'l crecimientu d'un partíu pequeñu (Fineses "Auténticos") con un perfil populista y anti-inmigración estremu. Polo demás los verdes crecieron daqué. Podeis lleer más equí. En Helsinki los conservadores ganaron otra vegada (26 conceyales), los verdes van detrás (21) y terceros los socialistes (16)

Riki & Annika Hääbileet

Saturday nigth we went to the fabulous wedding party of Annika and Riki. Lots of fun! wearing something on the head was compulsory. More photos available in Flickr for those registered

El sábadu fuimos a un fiestón pola boda d'unos amiguinos. Yera obligatoriu llevar daqué na cabeza. Más fotos en Flickr pa los que ten apuntaos

Sarjakuvakeskus

The Sarjakuvakeskus is a space in Helsinki dedicated to comics with gallery for exhibitions, shop, workshops, parties... On the photo above you have the programme for this autumn and it's located in the best spot in Helsinki: Kallio. One of the partners in the Sarjakuvakesus is the association Kutikuti (with a nice site in English) which also publishes good stuff
El Sarjakuvakeskus ye un espaciu en Helsinki dedicáu a los comics con galería pa esposiciones, tienda, talleres, fiestes... Na foto enrriba ta'l programa pala seronda. Otru aliciente pa pasase perellí ye que ta nel prestosísimu barriu de Kallio. L'asociación Kutikuti (web n'Inglés) también ta integrada nel Sarjakuvakeskus y tien publicaciones guapes

Eero Saarinen

Eero Saarinen very nice Finnish-American architect
Eero Saarinen arquitectu Finés-Americnu mui prestosu

Hakainemen kauppahalli

One of my pleasures in Helsinki: go shopping to the market hall in Hakaniemi.
Una de les coses que más me presta facer en Helsinki: dir de compres al mercáu de Hakaniemi.

Ceee-le-brate... good time!

Saturday evening we had many good things to celebrate and Kati, Mari, Minna and Thomas joined us in the endeavour
Estí sábadu había muncho y bueno que celebrar. Kati, Mari, Minna y Thomas vinieron a cenar

I've got as a present this wonderful fondue set, which we put into use immediately
Tuve de regalo esta pota pa fondues, que pusimos a furrular nel momentu

As second dish we had these delicious gilt-head breams bought at Töölön kala. Getting these tasteful non-Baltic fish in Helsinki is rare, so I strongly recommend this fish shop in Hakaniemenhalli
De segundu metímonos estes doraes al fornu que taben brutales. Nun ye común topar pexes d'agua salao en Helsinki, así que vos recomiendo pasar per Töölön kala en Hakaniemenhalli a pillales

As a perfect end Anne baked this heavenly Sacher chocolate cake, sluurp....
El final perfectu púsolu Anne currándose esti tremendu pastel de chocolate tipu Sacher, ay maminina...

Helsinki Biennale

The Helsinki Biennale starts next week
La bienal de Helsinki entama la selmana que vien

Kuu

A couple days ago around 7:30, right after waking up, I looked through the window but the moon got me first
Hai un par de díes al llevantame, a eso les 7:30, miré pola ventana pero la lluna ganome pola mano

Kalervo Palsa rules!

Self portrait and a few works of Finnish painter Kalervo Palsa. A guy with a special sensitivity
Autorretratu y otres cosuques de Kalervo Palsa pintor Finés onde los haya. Un paisanu con una sensibilidá especial

Equí llévase... If you're in Finland...

The price of polluting

For those of you, like I, actively contributing to global warming (i.e. driving a car around) here are the prices of gas in Helsinki (in Euro per litre)
P'aquellos que contribuís/imos al calentamiento global (andamos en coche) equí teneis el preciu la gasolina en Helsinki

Silakkamarkkinat

This Saturday I went to the herring's fair although I ended up eating some vendace
Esti sábadu acerqueme a la feria del arenque aunque acabé comiendo una bandexina de 'muikkut' (parientes del samón pero piquiñinos)

Seronda

Recipes for disaster

I warmly recommend the documentary Recipes for disaster. Finnish director John Webster (yes, he's a Finn) convinces his wife that the whole family should go on an oil diet, yet without having to give up their a middle class suburban lifestyle in Espoo. All the everyday things that we don't do, or that we can't help doing, make up recipes for disaster. In this comedy of errors they find themselves questioning their values and putting to test their will power and ultimately, their happiness. Trailer below
Recomiéndovos el documental Recipes for disaster (Recetes pa pegásela). El director convence a la su muyer y dos guajes de que tienen de tar sin usar productos derivaos del petróleo por un añu. Eso sí, sin renunciar al su estilo de vida de clase media nos suburbios de Helsinki. Daste cuenta de qué coses cotidianes, pequeñes n'apariencia, pueden resultar en desastre. El documental lleva un tono cómicu nel que t'enseña cómo la familia tien de cuestionase los sos valores y, finalmente, la so felicidá. El trailer embaxo

Kuvatuksia

The "comic-diary" of Hanna V makes often my day. Small everyday details that are easy to relate to
El "diariu-comic" de Hanna V anímame muchos díes. Detallucos cotidianos colos que ye fácil identificase

The f***ing crisis

Photo originally uploaded by Däni Von Hickersby
Some stencil graffities from Helsinki walls as a therapy against the current days, which have me so fed up with the capitalist system. Fat bankers grow rich by abusing the clients to end up being fed again by the client's tax money when speculation doesn't pay off
Algunes pintaes nes paredes de Helsinki como terapia escontra la fartura de noticies sobre la "crisis". La banca enriqueciéndose mediante l'abusu de los clientes. Cuando la especulación nun rinde son los impuestos de los clientes los que van también a la banca

"Capitalism isn't a thing to play with"
"El capitalismu nun ye daqué colo que xugar"
(photo StickerHelsinki)

Albóndigues - Lihapullia

Few days ago appeared in the newspaper a review of the best meatballs in Helsinki. I quite like the ones served at Tori restaurant (these in the photo), which come with a delicious sauce made out of a reduction of Jallu (the Finnish "brandy"). Btw, don't miss Jallu's ad below. Eating these metballs we celebrated the promotion of Xixón's football team to the top Spanish league. Sonia & Aurora also had some during their last visit. Now you have another reason to visit ;)
PS: " Jaloviina on kyl' aikamoista keittoo..." the guy playing chess says when turning green (Jaloviina=Jallu is such a terrific 'soup')

En Finlandia les albóndigues tiren mucho. Hai poco salió una llista nel periódicu colos restaurantes coles meyores albóndigues. A mí gustenme especialmente les del restaurante Tori (na foto) que vienen con una salsa brutal fecha duna reducción de Jallu (el "coñá" Finés). Nun vos perder l'anunciu de Jallu embaxo. Comiéndoles celebré l'ascensu del Sporting y Sonia & Aurora también les probaron na su última visita. Yá teneis otru motivu más pa visitanos ;)
PS: " Jaloviina on kyl' aikamoista keittoo.." diz el rapaz del anunciu cuando se pon verde (Jaloviina=Jallu ye una 'sopa' tremenda)

Walking Zola

Some photos of our daily walk with Zola around our place. Here, more
Algunes fotos del nuestru paséu diariu con Zola. Equí, más

Our street looks like this now
La nuestra calle ta como la veis

View from the rock in front our place
Vista dende la rocona delantre casa

Kilpisjärvi

Some autumns back I was there. More photos here
Hai dalgunes serondes taba ellí. Más fotos equí